


Fire Fiend

by MapleLemonCandy



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Nightmares, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-18 12:30:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21710794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MapleLemonCandy/pseuds/MapleLemonCandy
Summary: At first, it was all just darkness. Caleb thought he might get a peaceful night of rest for once. But then a spark flew past him, and a fire suddenly grew in front of him.
Relationships: Caduceus Clay/Mollymauk Tealeaf/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 1
Kudos: 59





	Fire Fiend

_At first, it was all just darkness. Caleb thought that he might get a peaceful night of rest for once. But then a spark flew past him, and a fire suddenly grew in front of him. The flames crackled loudly as they flickered past him, burning away bits of his hair and skin. Caleb recoiled, tilting his head away from the bright flames. He stared at the ground, hoping somehow that it would make the flames go away. Little pains pricked at him._

_Caleb looked up from the ground, and found himself mesmerized by the flames in front of him. They were so pretty. So, so pretty. Crackling nicely, like they always did. He couldn’t look away anymore. His body wouldn’t physically let him. He took a step forward. And then he heard the screams._

_No. No, no, no, no._

_The house came into view. His house. His parents house. With his parents inside._

_He took a step back, then another, and another, hoping the sound would dampen. But it didn’t, it seemed to only get louder, and louder, and louder. The flames licked passed him once again, pain searing through him. It felt as if the liquid within his veins were boiling. Caleb was shaking. He felt too weak to keep standing, his knees buckled under him, his stomach churned. He collapsed to the ground, and soon found himself gagging. As the flames grew and grew, Caleb turned his head, and was met with just pure darkness._

_He took a deep breath in, slowly pulling himself to his feet. The flames grew closer as he did, eventually engulfing him. They burned his face, but as soon as he turned his back to the heat, it didn’t hurt. It didn’t burn. Caleb gagged one last time, before sprinting away, leaving the flames behind him._

_It felt as if he had walked through the darkness for hours on end. He could feel himself moving, progressing through the darkness, but he didn’t go anywhere. Everything was just the same. Until the scene changed suddenly, and he was on a familiar path, surrounded by familiar people. The Iron Shepherds, to be exact. Molly was on the ground, and Caleb just stared, eyes wide, watching as the glaive plunged into his chest._

_Mollymauk’s head tilted to the side, and they made eye contact. Caleb tried to dash forward, but something stopped him. He glanced back to see chains wrapping around his arms and legs, squeezing him. Caleb tried to pull against the chains, tried to run, tried to scream, but the only thing he accomplished was tripping himself up, and smacking his chin off the ground. The chains pulled taut, preventing him from bringing himself back to his feet._

_Caleb stared at Molly, muttering to himself, trying pathetically to drag himself towards the tiefling. Eventually, he gave up. He let his cheek rest against the ground. His gazenever left Molly. He couldn’t bring himself to look away. Caleb’s eyes started to sting, which confused him at first._

_Then he realized. They were tears. He was crying. He rarely ever cried. He couldn’t stop himself through, he could only shake his head and lay there. It hurt. He hurt._

_He found himself whispering Molly’s name under his breath, over and over again, his voice strained._

_It was cold. It was snowing. He shivered, and it should have been over right then and there, but his body wouldn’t stop shaking. Then, he felt something warm on his back. He felt calmer, just a little bit. Another warm spot formed, this time on the top of his head._

Caduceus sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes, before glancing down at Caleb and Molly next to him. Caleb laid on his stomach, his body twitching, panicked whispered falling from his mouth. This was the third time this week. He placed his hand on the human’s back, rubbing circles into his skin softly.

“Caleb?” Caduceus said in what he thought was a whispered. “Are you awake, Caleb?” 

A soft hiss came from the other side of the bed. Molly rolled over, his red eyes piercing through the darkness to stare at Caduceus. 

“What’s going on, dear?” He asked.

“I think Caleb’s having a nightmare again. Sorry for waking you up, Molls.”

Molly frowned, leaning forward and placing his hand on Caleb’s head. His fingers tangled themselves in his mess of reddish-brown hair.

“Should we wake him up?” Molly asked.

“Yeah, but gently. Don’t shake him or anything.”

He nodded, massaging Caleb’s scalp as Caduceus rubbed his back and whispered his name. Soon, Caleb’s eyes opened slowly.

“Are you okay, Caleb?” 

Caleb’s vision was blurred, and for the first minute or so, he didn’t know where he was. He couldn’t recognize the room, or the people in it, which just caused him to panic more. 

“Caleb?” 

His muscles relaxed now as the voice and its owner clicked in his head. Slowly, surely, he remembered that this was their inn room. He remembered that Caduceus was on his right, and Molly was on his left. He was alright. They were alright. They were safe. Molly was alive and well.

“Do you need a drink, darling?” Molly asked, his fingers roaming through the wizard’s hair.

He tried to find the strength to speak, but he didn’t have it yet. He opted to just shake his head. After a moment, Caleb sat up, opening his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Molly kissing him. 

“I love you, Caleb.” Molly whispered. “We both do.”

Caduceus wrapped his arm around Caleb, pulling him closer. Molly rested his head on the human’s lap, nuzzling into his thigh. His tail wrapped around Caleb’s torso, hugging him in a way.

“Do you need anything, Caleb?” Caduceus asked.

_”N-Nein,_ no, I am just, uhh, still a little shaken.”

“Yeah, that’s understandable. Do you need to talk?”

_”Ja,_ I think so, but I don’t… I don’t know what to say to you.”

“Well, are you comfortable telling us about your nightmares?”

_”Ja, Ja,_ that might… it might help.”

“Go on then. We’ll listen.”

Caleb took a few deep breaths, trying to build himself up to talk, but then he didn’t. Tears were beginning to well up in his eyes again.

“I’m-I’m sorry.” He whispered. “I do not… I do not think I can do this.”

“That’s alright.” Molly replied. “You don’t have to say anything, darling. Just know that there’s a lot of people who are here for you, Caleb. Don’t be afraid to try to talk to us.”

“We all support you, and want to see you succeed.” Caduceus added.

“Thank you. This… it helped.” 

Caduceus kissed the human’s temple.

“Are you feeling well enough to sleep more?” 

“I do not know.” 

“I’ll stay up with you if you can’t sleep.” Molly whispered, even though he was already half asleep.

“No, that is… it is alright, Molly. Go back to bed.”

The Tiefling hummed, getting comfortable on Caleb’s thighs. Caduceus laid down, taking Caleb with him and making him lay on his chest. Tufts of pink chest hair tickled his cheek as he got comfortable. The Firbolg’s heartbeat was steady, slow, and calming to listen to. While Caleb didn’t fall asleep again, he felt so much more at ease with Molly asleep on his thighs, and Caduceus asleep behind him.


End file.
